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Review

2002
Subaru
Outback Review

An alternative to mainstream wagons and SUVs.

Reviewed by Automotive on
9/11/2002

Overview

The 2002 Subaru Outback is an offshoot of the popular compact Legacy series. It offers two different engines, the 2.5-liter four-cylinder and a three-liter six-cylinder engine, which is standard in the VDC and L.L. Bean editions. It has a higher ground clearance than the Legacy and resembles a more traditional SUV.

What's New

The 2002 Subaru Outback sedan has the addition of the new three-liter six-cylinder engine resulting in two new sedan trims: 3.0-H6 and 3.0-H6 VDC. Small changes in 2002 include the addition of a dome light off-delay, an ignition switch illumination ring, and a wood grain-patterned door switch trim. Sedans also get a new internal trunk release, and models equipped with the Vehicle Dynamics Control now have a button to turn the system off. The automatic climate control now has an air filtration system.

Exterior

The 2002 Subaru Outback wagon rides on a 104.3-inch wheelbase and is 187.4 inches overall. It has chip-resistant lower body cladding and two-tone paint and a standard roof rack and larger fog lights. It wears 16-inch wheels with a glass moonroof that's installed on the L.L. Bean and H6-3.0 VDC.

Interior

The 2002 Subaru Outback seats five in bucket seats up front and a three-place backseat. Each seat as its own three-point seat belt. The cargo space is 68.6 cubic feet with the 60/40-split rear seat folded down. The base model has air-conditioning and an 80-watt sound system with a cassette player standard. It also has a cargo cover and tray, power locks, power mirrors, cruise control, remote keyless entry, and a tilt steering wheel. The Limited model is upgraded with a CD player, cargo mat, and leather-surfaced bucket seats. The Limited model also has an all-weather package with headed front seats and outside mirrors. A 200-watt McIntosh audio system with 11 speakers is installed on the Outback H6-3.0 VDC. The L.L. Bean model has an air filtration system, a premium audio system, and air-conditioning along with two-tone leather seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and special trims inside and out.

Performance & Handling

The 2002 Subaru Outback base and Limited models get a 165-horsepower 2.5-liter horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine. It's paired with a five-speed manual transmission, but a four-speed automatic is available as an option. A 212-horsepower three-liter horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engine is equipped on the L.L. Bean and H6-3.0 VDC models. The VDC stands for Vehicle Dynamics Control, which is the electronic stability system belonging to Subaru. Its sensors pick up on the impending loss of control and apply the brakes and dishes out engine power as needed among the wheels.

Safety

The 2002 Subaru Outback Limited, H6-3.0 VDC, and L.L. Bean models are all equipped with side-impact airbags in the front. Anti-lock brakes come as standard equipment on all models.